Sunday, August 1, 2010

Well, I think most chore charts are homemade, and made out of desperation so that you don't have to keep repeating their chores every single morning. I suppose that's why I made this one.

I've been working on this board in my head for about 3 months now and there's so many components that I just couldn't get it all together. So thanks to my little sis, Ellen, who helped me synthesize my thoughts and get them out into real life.

I'm totally ecstatic with how this turned out! Not only does this thing track chores on a weekly basis, but it runs a tally of allowance and extra money that can be earned for doing crappy chores that I hate to earn money (aren't I smart?), and also good/bad behaviors and rewards/consequences for each. You can probably see why it took me so long to figure out how it would look.

The beauty of this board is that everything is removable and can be moved around. I changed my mind about vinyl and went with magnetized laminated words because realistically, I doubt this board will be in affect for more than a couple of years and maybe I can reinvent the board for Tink when she comes of age - the age when she can slave for me (yay!) As chores are completed, Bugs will just take a magnet and put it on the square for that day. I had to make all of those magnets! That was one of the most time consuming parts.

About the Naughty/Nice section, depending on the behavior, Bugs can take a Naughty/Nice dude out of the "or" box and place it in its appropriate box. When either box is full she will get either a reward or the consequence (there's only one: no TV = UTTER DEVASTATION). Do you like the Naughty/Nice dudes? Google eyes and green pom pon noses. So cute.

But here's the most awesome part of this board! I traded a friend of mine for a Cricut a few months ago and have used it a couple of times but always feel frustrated and limited by the expensive cartridges. So Ellen (yay Ellen) told me about "Sure Cuts a Lot" the software that lets you use whatever fonts you want to cut on your Cricut. So I hacked came across the software last night and spent the better part of several hours getting it loaded and figuring out how to use it. This software is amazing! And thanks also to Amanda at Fonts For Peas, I was able to use some extremely cute fonts for FREE. You need to check out her site. Tons of totally cute fonts that you can download for no cost (ok, thanks again to Ellen for telling me about it - I'm starting to wonder who I'd be without her!)

In actuality, this project ended up taking me most of the weekend so if I'm going to paint, it will be this evening, and I just might do it.

If you're interested in this project, I recommend you make a sketch of how you want it to look like. It helped it all come together. Oh - there's a dry erase marker with velcro wrapped around it that goes stuck to that little white patch on the bottom of the chart. Where did the pen go?

Happy Crafting!

p.s. If you like this board and would like the directions & supply information, please just post a comment with your email address and I'll gladly send them to you. The only caviat is that I have been inundated with requests so now I will charge for the directions. Please send $7 for the directions, supply list and word file with the templates for word strips and fonts I used although Sure Cuts A Lot is no longer available for use with the Cricut, to my utter devastation. You may Paypal to the_nielsens2000@earthlink.net. Thanks!

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backward glances:

Anonymous
said...

First, I want to say that I LOVE THIS CHART! I see that the weekly allowance is $2.00 is that only for the weekly chores? How does the fun money work...when they do those, what happens?

Also, for the Naughty/Nice bugs- does it start over every day or when it's full one way or the other?

Thank you! I've been loving using it and it's been working out really well!

The $2.00 is strictly allowance per week and isn't tied at all to chores. Her chores are her responsibility for being part of the family. The fun money is if she feels like she would like to earn more. There are prices on the back of those chores that indicate how much more she can earn for doing various tasks. Then she moves those tasks over to the completed side and at the end of the week, we tally and I pay her the allowance plus extra tasks.

The Naughty/Nice is a cumulative thing. Once she gets all the sticks in either box, she either gets a reward or a consequence. It took her a few days to get them all in the Nice box and it's motivating so it worked great! Plus, the reasons why she'd get a naughty or nice stick are arbitrary so it's whenever I decide she deserves one. keeps her on her toes a little.

thanks again for your comment! it was crazy making it but very fun and so awesome now that it's done.

Wow, this is such an awesome chart! I have been trying to find something that would work for my little girl. This gives me fantastic ideas. I must ask, where did you find your software? 3beats4me@gmail

Wow - I've gotten tons of awesome feedback about this! Thankyou! I still love this chart and it's been working out great!

Camey, Oh my gosh - you flatter me! I would LOVE to make you one but sadly, right now I barely have time to do things I HAVE to do let alone things I would like to do. I'd be glad to send you the instructions and supplies but you're probably in the same boat. Let me know - I'd be glad to share :) I'm so happy about your twins - it's so great that worked out for you!

I love this idea/board! Would love to get the how to/supply list if possible. I have been looking all over our area Dallas Texas and can't find a board like that. Hope to order online thru Roberts! Love all your ideas and blog...You're the best!

HI, I love your chart board too and I am in desperate need of a flexible board for my daughter that went from the terrible 2's to the horrible 3's and no telling what the 4's will bring haha could I also get a supply list. I have no clue about this tyope of crafting but I am more than willing to learn!!!

I would LOVE to have the instructions and the supplies. I am doing a craft project for our MOPS (moms of preschoolers) group and they have requested chore charts. This one is AWESOME. Can you send it to littlebitofthisandthat@gmail.com? Thanks a ton.

Love your chart! Currently I'm using one that is for all three of my kids combined (ages 11, 7 and 5), but I think I like the individuality of this one. Would love any directions/supply list you could send my way! Thanks! barnettfamily5@verizon.net

Hi! I just ran across your blog via Tip Junkie. I have 3 kids & would love to make 3 of these charts for them. Would you mind sending me info with directions & supplies? I would REALLY appreciate it!Thanks!Michellesullygirl810@gmail.com

This is my first time visiting your blog. Like some of the others, I googled home made chore charts and yours was the first to come up. As I read your entry, it was as if you were reading my mind and putting my thoughts onto paper. (Even down to doing chores because they are part of the family.) I bought the same board from Robert's last summer while we were visiting Utah with the intention of making a chore chart. I hadn't done anything with it yet because I wasn't sure how I wanted to execute it. Anyway, thank you so much for this post. Would you mind sending me instructions and a list of supplies? brookecastle at gmail dot com. Thank you so much!!

Hi, this is my first time to your site, and actually the first time to "post" on a blog. I am not sure that it went through when I tried to do it a minute ago...it asked for a gmail account? Anyway, LOVE your chore chart, exactly what I have been scheming in my head but didn't know where to start. Can you send me directions? thanks so much.Amy Stoufferajstouffer@sbcglobal.net

This is an amazing looking chore chart! I would love to have the instructions and supply list for this. I have 3 kids 10, 6, and 4 ugg and i have a great idea for how i would like to change the weekly chart to make it for 3 kids. my email address is strube98@yahoo.com im very excited to start this craft!

I am absolutely in love with this idea!! I want to make this so bad and change it a little bit for a boy and for a younger age!! Can you please let me know what materials you used and where you got them!! Email me at saxongw@yahoo.com Thank you so so so much!!! :]

Hi Amy, Love this chore board. I have 3 boys and would love to make this for them. Can you please send me the instructions & supply list. I would like to get started on this by tomorrow. Thanks. nstly72@yahoo.com.

Amy, you are awesome!!! I love it. I am going to have to make 2. I have a girl and a boy. Or do you have any ideas on making one for both kids? I would love it if you could send me the instructions and supply list. My email is ginnyfitzhugh@yahoo.com

I also love this idea!! I'm hoping to make one for my 4 kids.. May I get a supply list please? Also do you think I would need to make it bigger or add more things to it for all my kids? Thanks. ashleebgray@yahoo.com

I just happen to be searching chore charts and came across this blog. I would LOVE a list of the supplies and directions. My kids are ages 7, 11, and 13. I have tried chore charts for years and none of them worked. If I don't at least try something very soon I am going to go insane. Do you have any good suggestions for the consequences? Do you have consequences for not getting daily chores done or just for things like not behaving, fighting with siblings, being rude (13 year old), etc.? any help would be so appreciated! My email is lindy.roberts@insightbb.com

This board is so amazing and individualized! I have 2 kids (boy and girl), would you keep this in their room or in a common area in the house? What are some examples of her regular chores and examples of her earning chores? I would love to have the supply list and directions on how to make this project. Thank you for such a creative solution!

I've had a chore/behavior chart in my head for 5 years. This has everything I've been wanting for a chart. Thank you so much! Can you please send me the detailed instructions? My email is dmgaran@cfl.rr.com

I've been searching the web for quite some time for a chore/behavior chart and I love your idea of his one :O) I know your are terribly busy, but if you could find it in your heart and have a spare moment, could you kindly e-mail me the supply list and instructions??? Thank you very much. Naomi Alvarado

I am not sure if you are still checking in on this blog but I would so much appreciate the supply list for this project. I have been trying so many different chore charts and systems and I believe this is the one that would be great for our family. Thank you for such a great and creative project. Email: kimberly.alvisi@gmail.com

Due to the overwhelming response to the requests for instructions, I will no longer be able to supply them free of charge. If you are interested in receiving the instructions and a word file with all of the banners, etc. and the fonts I used, please paypal $7 to the_nielsens2000@earthlink.net with your request. I would be happy to supply you with everything you will need to get started. Thank you!

Hi Amy. I came across this chart last summer, and have finally gotten around to creating a very very similar one. I began implementing it, and my 6 year old asked me a question I wasn't sure how to answer. She asked if you have some in the "nice" box and some in the "naughty" box what happens when there are no more sticks to move? Can you move a stick out of the "naughty" ever? I love this idea, but my brain isn't thinking through the logistics of this very well. Can you explain more in detail how you use it, or answer my daughter's questions? (I do realize this was an old blog of your, I hope you see this!) Thank so much!

Elizabeth, good question! So what we've been doing is that the sticks can go either way but they have to make a stop in the middle box along the way. For example your naughty box and nice box are both full and she is super nice to her sibling or helps you without asking. You may move a stick out of the naughty box into the middle box and from there, it can go in either direction. That way, it's more motivation for them to continue earning nice sticks but also not super easy for them to go right from nice to naughty which can be dispiriting. I'm glad you made the chart elizabeth! Hope you're enjoying it. We are still using ours! As I originally designed it for, it continues to be useful as our chores evolve. Thanks for the note!

Perfect Amy! She's very satisfied with the answer. I told her the middle box is "base." She agreed, and got excited that she knows what reward she wants when she gets to all "nice." I really took a combination of your chore chart, an old reward system I was using, your nice & naughty sticks, and the uh-oh jar. It's all located on a "family central" chalkboard wall I made. Hoping this combo works for a while! Thanks again!

I'm so sorry but I'm now charging for these instructions due to the high demand. Perhaps it's not written well in my post but I added that to the bottom of the post awhile back.I was getting like 10 requests a day so I had to request payment for the instructions.If you still want them, please follow the instructions above to paypal me the payment. Thanks so much!

You want us to pay for you to type up directions...well, copy and paste directions. There are a ton of chore charts and we can easily see what you made and come up with our own. How greedy. I can understand if you make and want to sell them. But $7 for a list of items? Get real.